Tuesday, May 25, 2021  (Tomorrow early, a total lunar eclipse, and later, the Super “Flower” Moonrise)

We’re in the Ochocos, local mountains, having paused where often I’ve ridden horseback. Osix races back to where I’m lagging. I’m strolling and gulping-in the gorgeous setting. Ahead are the others.

This brief stop gives the dogs a break from riding in the SUV. The Ochocos are surprising me by popping up many pleasant memories from past years. The dogs and I are en route to Oregon’s Painted Hills. They’re about an hour away, on just this side of Mitchell, a tiny tourist community.

Many times, while driving toward the more Eastern Oregon, I’ve glimpsed the Painted Hills but always have been in a hurry. I’ve passed its turnoff road that gobbles six out-of-the-way miles, one way. This time, I’m giving myself a take-it-easy day away from ranching. I’m carrying a camera.

I’m astonished by a sheer natural beauty of those Painted Hills. These are one of three units of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. This particular geologic unit covers over 3,000 acres, has designated driving roads taking tourists to various viewpoints, offers hiking trails, and carefully insists that no vehicle, person, or dog disturbs any of the landscape.

In this ancient fossil site, if one accidentally happens to spot an undiscovered fossil, pocketing it is an illegal theft. Tourist instructions are to photograph and report any spotted fossil to area supervisors. In fact, lifting and taking anything, rocks, plants, or animals, is against the law.

Dogs must be on leashes, and so, my four slept in the SUV.

I drove over every road absorbing colors and views. Even my wordy self can’t describe accurately the awe simply of being among those hills. Their sheer beauty, completely natural and widespread.

Viewing from an overlook site.

My zoom camera doesn’t excellently capture distant scenes, but effectively records sectional close-ups. In this large shot, colors that show appear muted.

A close-up from the same area reveals the striking vibrancy.

A few more outstanding captures.

More fun with a high-zoom camera, a hiker captured from hundreds of yards below.

Before leaving the area, we made a looky-lou quick trip through Mitchell. I’ll return someday and walk through it with a camera.

On our way home one more stop, and again, in the Ochocos where sublime greenery covers.

Dear Friends: Increasing wildfires that devastate urgently call on us to protect still-natural areas. Diana

Monday, May 24, 2021  (In 2 days May’s Super “Flower” Moon will rise fullest to Earth + a total eclipse!)

This morning has a still-gloomy sky overhead offering more rain. Like yesterday, when for most of the afternoon, I was in my she-shop sorting through a jumbled accumulation of nuts and bolts and periodically hearing rain on the metal roof. That rain provided background sounds, until finally, I decided to listen to music.

After cranking up a wi-fi speaker, consulting my phone’s listings, and considering the moody atmosphere, I selected “Billie Holiday’s Greatest Hits”. To my surprise hearing her songs became a magical experience.

It was years since last I’d heard Billie. I had preferred her recordings from the time near her death from a drug overdose in her fifties. I thought her older, smoky voice communicated with unique beauty, life, experience, and wisdom. I considered her earlier 1930s and early 40s voice a bit too sweet and charming. Yesterday, in astonishment, I wondered what my younger self could have been thinking!

Young Billie’s sounds were new experiences. That incredible songstress perfectly communicated life’s flirty romances, deep love, fun feelings, and the sadness of loss. With incredible musicianship and a unique style of singing (slightly behind the beat), she intelligently articulated and perfectly shaded each word.

I felt deeply “into Billie” when the album ended, and before I could select more music, the wi-fi did it. A sudden woman’s voice emanating powerfully from the speaker compelled me to listen, and within a heartbeat, I recognized Nina Simone, another absolutely-genius musician.

I stood, outwardly sorting, but internally focused on biographies and times of those women, and of myself. The impact of listening reminded me of the prominence of music in a recent outstanding French film, “Portrait of a Woman on Fire”. Listening and hearing brought the reopening of old memories and of feeling connections.

Dear Friends: Experiencing music, at its best, is all-encompassing and deeply emotional. Diana

Sunday, May 23, 2021  (In 3 days May’s Super “Flower” Moon will rise fullest to Earth + a total eclipse!)

May 26 will be a remarkable day of astronomic events. First, a total lunar eclipse starts early that morning (1:45 a.m., PDT) and concludes at 6:00 a.m. Griffith Observatory (Los Angeles) will broadcast online the total eclipse starting at 1:45 a.m. The maximum eclipse is at 4:19 a.m., and totality ends when the moon emerges from shadow, at 4:26.

In a total lunar eclipse the moon passes completely into the earth’s shadow. The moon doesn’t completely darken as the sun has residue that causes a dim-glowing. The eclipse should be visible in Southern California to the naked eye.

Unless you’re eager to venture outside and look at the eclipse in real time, Griffith’s steam is a great alternative. You could watch (along with me) in PJs, while hanging out with a laptop, and dipping early into a popcorn breakfast. On Tuesday, I will post a link to Griffith’s online streaming.

The next total eclipse will be next May. In 2022, the new eclipse again will be made visible to everybody through Griffith’s streaming.

Later in this coming Wednesday, this final full Super Moon will rise, occurring very late that evening. Nonetheless your moon-chasers, Susie and I, are prepared. We want to go land a good spot to see and photograph that rising. So far, our previous Super Moon-rise chasings have rewarded our efforts with sightings that exhilarated and photos that excited.

Beginning today Central Oregon’s weather should improve. We’ve strong-jawed it through days of gloomy rain, hail, and near-freezing temperatures. Before those upcoming moon events, Central Oregon’s residents will be busy, replacing or trying to encourage new life from half-frozen plants.

Dear Friends: Space-X has many pre-sold future space ride tickets costing $200k or $250k. Am wondering what more gets tossed in for an additional $50k. Diana

Saturday, May 22, 2021  (4 days before May’s Super “Flower” Moon rises fullest to Earth + total eclipse!)

With an outside temperature close to freezing and the inside temp only a bit warmer, thanks to a Mr. Buddy Heater, Dale, Susie, and I initiated the newly refigured Eight Pines She-Shed.

This initiation was planned as a simultaneous way of celebrating summer’s arrival. But Nature played one of her tricks and continuous heavy rain backdropped our beer popping, snacking, and story-swapping. Mr. Buddy thankfully offset the chill and we ignored the rooftop’s intruding racket.

There’s installed a little red cooler, found it at Bi-Mart for about $30. It holds up to six cans, of whatever, and also, is portable, chills contents either plugged into a wall or vehicle battery. Next week, it’s capability will be tested on a road trip to Oregon’s Painted Desert.

In the photo behind RedBox, a couple of stained glass windows are long-ago gifts from a friend in California. In the shed remains a little hay, but otherwise, it’s interior adornments are a chop saw, table saw, belt sander, drill press, and assorted hand tools.

You’d think that the mix of hay and tools along with rain pounding against the shed, would discourage anyone from being inside. For sure, our outerwear stayed on as we huddled around Mr. Buddy, but Susie and Dale are intrepid adventurers, troopers, and great friends. I loved that they were on board to make She-Shed’s beginning fun and memorable.

Speaking of Mr. Buddy, and fortunately, Dale knew how to change a propane cylinder, and even better, how to restart the heating.

As to photography, I took it easy, and Susie recorded the event. Here Dale and I are hanging out beside a new “goldish” birdbath that earlier Susie had helped to assemble.

A side-note, the evening wasn’t to be a test of friendship. All afternoon, I anticipated the ever-increasing rain to discourage Susie and Dale from coming. Not those two entrepreneurs! Susie bicycled to She-Shed through rain, and Dale arrived in a pickup, so she and bike would get home safely and dry.

Thank you both, for the evening of wonderment and fun among bare bones inside a metal construct.

Dear Friends: Finding oneself with a huge, empty, unplanned space begins a journey of discovery. Diana

Friday, May 21, 2021  (5 days before May’s Super “Flower” Moon rises fullest to Earth + total eclipse!)

Another gloomy day, this time with rain and hail. Bundled in long johns and sweaters, having finished Disney Channel’s “Whales” series, I began reading Simard’s book, and oh, what a grand experience!

Suzanne Simard is Professor of Forest and Conservation Sciences at University of British Columbia. She’s a PhD in Forest Sciences from Oregon State University. Her research interests are ecology, forestry, mycorrhizae, mycorrhizal networks, and silviculture. She’s written several books, is a highly respected authority.

My pre-retirement life offered minimal exposure to the worlds of insects, soils, and plants. After retiring to Oregon and acquiring a horse, I began participating in the natural outdoors, was forced to learn about terrains and footing. More experienced riding companions’ field observations made me interested in ecology. Eventually, I began honing my observation skills, wanting more to understand natural environments. Thus began my own steep, learning-curve journey.

Skipping forward, last summer my friend Dave introduced me to mushroom hunting, showed where to find edible plants, enthusiastically described fungi ecology, and loaned me books. Eye-openers! Who knew the importance of mushrooms and spores, or knew of a huge interconnected world beneath the soil, and that plants actively shared nutrients and information.

Well, Suzanne Simard is who first knew, researched, and figured it out. She taught everybody that natural forests are high-communicating, efficient ecosystems. Her work has changed how foresters perform their work. This book, her newest, explains her journey toward learning and communicating new information.

Simard combines autobiography and research. She grew up in Canada’s backwoods, in a family that logged, and absorbed forest understanding prior to being employed by the Forest Service. Her early forest-related tasks were puzzling, and for example, why couldn’t newly-planted trees simply take root and thrive? By combining her most youthful observations with later forest service experiences, she began questioning the Service’s traditional teachings.

She’s a very readable, superb, and informative writer. I’ve enthusiastically joined onto her journey, am eager to know how she continues developing questions, searches for logical answers, and becomes convinced her findings are viable. Ahead, too, I want to learn how she manages to sway old, long-time foresters, from their traditions and beliefs, and gets them to understand and accept new ways to view and manage forests.

This book is perfect for readers with outdoors experience, and equally so for those whose toes never touch the outdoors. Simard’s eye-opening quest for forest understanding introduces a world larger and more intelligent than anybody ever realized. A forest simply awes!

Dear Friends: By design, the worlds of Forests, Oceans, Insects, and Plants are self-sustaining. So, what’s technology got to do with it? Diana

Thursday, May 20, 2021  (6 days before May’s Super “Flower” Moon rises fullest to Earth + an eclipse!)

How can it be that after a string of 70+ degree days, this area sinks to 50 degrees? Now, where are all those winter jackets? Good grief, why this chill-out just when Miles visits the groomer for a summer coat-shaving?

Adding to misery are northern winds that increase the chill.

I hunkered in, didn’t lunge horses, nor take a thoughtful walk, nor scribble in a journal. Parked inside, I watched Disney Channel’s wonderful documentary, “Secrets of the Whales”.

Its credits are excellent: Executive producer, James Cameron; narrator, Sigourney Weaver; gorgeous photography by National Geographic’s, Brian Skerry.

The series’ four episodes feature five Whale and Dolphin species: Orca (killer whales), Humpback whales, Beluga whales, Sperm whales, and very rare Narwhals. Other species that also appear: Sea turtles, Polar bears, Southern elephant seals, Herring, and Gentoo penguins.

It’s about whale behaviors, and how very effectively the animals can communicate, raise offspring, maintain close families, hunt for food, and train young whales, preparing new generations for future leadership. Scientists consider whales among this planet’s most intelligent beings and equal to humans. The section on Belugas emphasizes the pod’s complex communications, they’re capable of giving individuals actual call names.

Whale species have intense rivalries, they’re mortal enemies–and that’s similar to human behavior. Each whale species fosters within its pods meaningful relationships, team planning, cooperation, and again that’s human-like. This series is “heady stuff”, and we learn, as the series’ creators explain they did in filming and editing.

It can reawaken an ugly painfulness of human history. We cringe remembering how hunters harpooned and destroyed fabulous sea creatures. We cringe at the rampant murders of elephants and hippos, just for ivory and tossed aside. Equally awful, that for hundreds of years one human race managed to dominate by enslaving other humans, and allowing certain religious beliefs to destroy any that differed.

The series reminds us that we humans also are the ocean’s whales and the land’s ants. We’re intelligent and capable like them. Humans need rebalancing, to regain the sense of all beings sharing alikeness. That would require rethinking, and perhaps redirecting current technologies, communications, and social processes.

We’ve grown accustomed to ongoing progress, to promises of more and better ahead, to make us smarter, more special. Meanwhile, eye-opening underwater world whales think and behave similar to ourselves–and effectively (gasp!) without technology. Whale success comes from understanding how to communicate and team superbly.

Some steps could assist reconsiderations and possibly renewals among on-land cultures. Take today’s governing bodies, arguing and in disarray. Congress could benefit by studying as a group the social and working behaviors of whales and ants, and then by applying learning to adjust its processes.

Dear Friends: Maybe somebody can explain, what the heck anyway is a bitcoin! Diana

Wednesday, May 18, 2021  (7 days before May’s Super “Flower” Moon rises fullest to Earth + an eclipse!)

Yesterday I took one my daily fifteen minute “thoughtful walks” and carried a camera. That turned into a half-hour stroll of soul-filling joy.

From starting that walk, I looked carefully around wanting to spot photograph-worthy details. And that has affected how in future I will seek photo ops. Today returns some of yesterday’s happiness upon reviewing memories recorded by my camera.

First there were wild hares. A couple of young ones live in the neighborhood and occasionally flash into sight. Alone or together becoming very frightened upon sighting a human, and immediately disappearing into heavy brush, not soon again to be spotted.

Yesterday, I happened to be standing absolutely still, to practice the required thoughtfulness, when I spotted two hares about thirty yards away. They were leaping, playing, and coming directly toward me. Upon suddenly recognizing a human, both froze to study the unmoving form before running to hide.

I ever so slowly lifted the camera and took a picture. Both noticed the shutter click but weren’t familiar with the noise so continued staring my way. I held the camera’s position for more pictures. Slowly, they began moving away, unafraid, in no hurry.

Those big-eared jacks, so unlike the soft-appearing wild cottontails, are stringy, muscular, very rapid-hoppers. After years of failing to capture photographically one or more of these guys, now just look.

What was next to catch my attention was an airplane leaf that seemed to be moving on its own down the street. I peered closely, seeing it clenched in the jaws of a tiny ant, determined to move it to a hive. My camera’s lens is designed for distant shots, not close-ups, and produced a too-fuzzy memory. I enjoy recalling that in the fuzziness. In fact, yesterday while walking home, the little ant still was working hard, but not gaining much in winds opposing its efforts.

After walking far enough, I considered sitting and writing the requisite 150 words in my Journal. A flat rock would have provided a good seat, but I became distracted by a discarded rusty old sawblade. Instead of tossing the blade and looking closely at its colors, I wanted to try and duplicate its shades with oil paints. That idea surprised me, and I held onto the blade.

While considering the rocks, I noticed a favorite critter.

On my way back home, I happened to disturb a California Jay that nested near the street. As this one’s mate disappeared into bushes, it swooped to perch atop a nearby spike and keep its eyes on me.

Suddenly, hearing soft cackling from somewhere above, I watched skyward until a Raven came into view. It flew overhead and cackling, before circling and then returning. This time, it lowering in flight and took a very close look at me. I wondered, where’s its nest?, an instant before the Raven simply lifted and took off. For awhile, it remained visible in the distance circling and still cackling softly.

Jays and Ravens are highly intelligent birds. The Jay’s behavior seemed self-explanatory but the Raven’s left me wondering. I still am trying to figure out what might have been on its mind.

There’s so much right out there on the street, to see, experience, enjoy. Today after another thoughtful walk I’ll create 150 words more of Journal entry. The thing is, a walking-writing plan that began as a chore-assignment, daily is growing more into an adventure worth anticipating.

About today’s header photo, the lilacs, it’s a shot from inside my Jeep. Soon afterward, I added another neighborhood sight that has appeal.

Dear Friends: So much beauty and fun, all within so few minutes of a day. Diana

Tuesday, May 17, 2021  (8 days before May’s Super “Flower” Moon rises fullest to Earth + an eclipse!)

Today is all about cuteness. This idea hatched as I downloaded a camera and discovered forgotten but enjoyable snaps. Any of these eye-catchers could stimulate an entire essay. Today, all will go into the pot and we’ll sip from a fun stew.

My wild bunny, a resident, is fun to spot and photograph. She nests under my barn’s haystack where last year she was born and since has hung around. She’s a clever one, even escapes my hunter-kitty, Maxwell, who (when he’s allowed outside) works to find her. Recently, this bunny produced a first litter and keeps a diligent eye on its nesting spot.

How about this bold Raven! It caught my eye by strutting across the lawn surrounding a cannabis shop, and way too near a busy intersection. From my car, while waiting for a light to change, I feared the bird might decide to try crossing traffic lanes. Watching turned into a good reminder that Ravens, not for no reasons, are known as “too smart birds”. This cool one lifted and flew instantly after my camera caught it.

Do you recall my having noted this spring’s resident Robin? That one, protecting a nest just outside my house? The intent being that focuses on chasing away all others that happen to land nearby?

This photo is brand new from yesterday, although similar to others of this sturdily-posed and beautiful bird. This striking Robin frequently warbles a song, loud and very sweet, that I love hearing. Although maybe it’s the bird’s warning to others, “Stay the heck away!”

I can’t resist including the beautiful, huggable Jade. This photo, not one I took, was sent to me. Jade lives in California with my second cousin, Cathy, who’s family are Pug aficionados. Ask about pugs and they’ll explain that these dogs absolutely are great pets. I’ve never lived with a pug, but know others who do and they adore the breed. This photo captures Jade’s strikingly wistful gaze. A person can drown in her appeal!

I’ll include this Turkey Buzzard in flight and hunting. It’s almost impossible for an autofocus setting to capture flying birds. Those hunting float on currents, moving faster than appears to the naked eye. Shifting breezes lift and lower birds, making autofocus nuts. (Full disclosure, I don’t know how manually to operate my zoom camera.) Anyway this bird circled repeatedly over my house, and yet, stayed in range. Finally, it lowered enough for an image–not great but one that thrills.

Yesterday, ah yes, I did as planned. Went out to take a daily fifteen minute “walk of thoughtfulness”. This time, with a camera and a companion. Of course, facing potential photo ops and managing a pooch, I couldn’t stay deeply in thought. Broke the rules and had fun.

My neighbor and friend, Johnny, driving by stopped his truck. He reminded me to go down the road for taking close-up photos of Patterson’s old barn. “Just hold your camera right up and nearly against that aged wood”, he said, adding, “I’m seeing pictures for sale showing panels of wood without anything more in the frame.”

His contagious enthusiasm will interfere with today’s intended animal focus. Now, about that wood.

Louie and I continued on to Patterson’s old place. We crawled through a break in the ancient fencing, and yes were trespassing, which always I try to avoid. I wanted to offset an appearance of being there to vandalize, so held the camera very high and pointing toward the barns. I took lots of photos.

Johnny correctly has zeroed-in on those barn woods. They’re very pretty, here’s evidence.

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BTW, after coming home, I did manage to scribble into my Journal another 150 words. Whew!

Speaking of words, today’s is “Ambiguity”. Does it mean (1) uncertainty, (2) dubiousness, (3) under-specification, (4) vagueness, (5) borderline?

Dear Friends: Embracing another dimension, the fun art of going out and just playing about! Diana

Monday, May 16, 2021  (9 days before May’s Super “Flower” Moon rises fullest to Earth)

Yesterday a to-do list kept me accomplishing bunches, from pulling weeds and vacuuming to moving the lil’ chicks into larger quarters. The day ended with a few quiet moments in my recently created she-shed, which surprisingly is a pleasant retreat.

That huge space has stored hay, but I began rethinking that during Corvid-19’s home-staying months. A small acreage offers plenty for one to be outdoors safely from rampant germs. What got me rethinking was my house garage, crowded with tools and equipment and lacking space to move around and do work. If I wished to locate an item stored there, it meant beginning a tiresome search.

I opted to change things, and allowed the RV stack to dwindle before moving in items from the house garage. Eventually, the RV garage has wound up a workshop, housing assorted hand tools, studded tires, a variety of saws, winter-ready snow blowers, and lumber bits from past remodeling projects. Its tiny refrigerator keeps icy up to six cans of beer or soda.

Yesterday afternoon, I embarked on the first of what will become daily “fifteen-minute thoughtful walks”. I left behind a camera, so as to remain thoughtful, missing a couple of great bird photo ops (next time I’ll take a camera). Upon reaching my friend, Bobby’s, and spotting a rock next to a patch of Moss Phlox, I sat and wrote 150 words into my brand new journal.

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Daily, my baby chickens get bigger and become stronger. They’ve been trying and became nearly able to leap high enough to escape their small trough. Yesterday, I transferred them into a bigger trough that holds 100 gallons of water. Its high containment sides will keep the babies safe until they mature enough to transport to an outdoor coop.

Dear Friends: Retirement is like taking a long vacation without having any feelings of guilt. Diana

Sunday, May 15, 2021  (10 days before May’s “Flower Moon” rises fullest to Earth)

Today I’ll be checking-off items on my new list, a “Sunday To-Do”. It’s about cleaning–carpets, windows, aquariums–nothing interesting or motivating. I need to overcome a condition that “cleaning isn’t my thing”. Maybe adding a pleasure item to the list will boost willingness to perform housework. I’ll experiment by incorporating something from another list, my “Daily To-Do”, and sneak in creativity.

The easiest transfer is two new related self-assignments. Starting tomorrow (well actually, now today), for fifteen minutes I’ll go outside and walk while remaining very thoughtful. Immediately afterwards, I’ll pen 150 words (amounting to about a paragraph) into a brand new journal. This daily process needs about a half-hour and feels motivating. On Sundays, I can escape minutes of housework, and everyday will make entries. These might become a collection of interesting observations and ideas.

Eventually, hopefully, and at least a little escape from cleaning chores.

To be honest, for weeks I’ve waited with a brand new journal and a type of pencil I love to make first entries. It’s too challenging while staring at bound pages to come up with worthwhile ideas and observations. Committing to and beginning to write never is easy. Waiting space bugs writers. A simple solution might be several daily minutes of walking and writing.

Today, there’s a word, “Liberal”. Does it mean: openhanded, self-important, overbearing, or warmhearted?

Dear Friends: Left-brainers get things done, a right-leaning brain needs lots of boosting. Diana